Shoemaking apparatus



June 26, 1956 s DERRAH ETAL SHOEMAKING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1953 3 Sheqts-Sheet 1 NNNN O O I 11:!!! i 1 Inventors Carl z/uhola Norman dDer'rah B3 their'Azzfor'negy June 26, 1956 Filed June 9, 1953 N. S. DERRAH ET SHOEMAKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheer. 2

In venzors Carl r/u fioZa Norman JDer-rah B theirAzzforne y June 26, 1956 N. s. DERRAH ETAL 2,752,471

SHOEMAKING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I n ve n tors Cczr/ Ju/za/a A/orm c725 Derr'a/z 5y their/Ittorney United States Patent SHOEMAKING APPARATUS Norman S. Derrah, Lynn, and Carl Juhola, Manchester,

Mass., assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flernington, N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 9, 1953, Serial No. 360,476

4 Claims. (Cl. 219-10.63)

This invention relates to high-frequency dielectric heating apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for dielectrically heating the toe end portion of a lasted shoe into the upper of which there has been incorporated, in limp condition, heat hardenable material which, in accordance with the teaching of the prior art, may be incorporated into the end portions of shoes in place of the stiif counters and box toes formerly employed and thereafter heated to stiffen the portions.

Apparatus for dielectrically heating an end portion of a shoe may be provided in which an alternating electric field is established between electrodes operatively positioned adjacent to such portion. In such apparatus the operative position of the electrodes may differ with different sizes and styles of shoes. Because of the need for rapid operation in factory production and because of the need to accommodate a large range of styles and sizes of shoes, it is desirable to provide for quick and easy positioning of the electrodes in operative position for each shoe to be heated in its turn and yet to provide for minimizing interference by the electrodes with loading and unloading.

At the same time, any means for operatively positioning the electrodes must avoid, during the heating operation, excessive pressure upon the upper materials, particularly at the sides of the shoe, since some delicate upper materials may be marked thereby.

Accordingly, an important object of the invention is the provision of an electrode arrangement for establishing an electric field in the toe end portion of a shoe and in which electrode members may be quickly and easily moved into operative position adjacent to the sides of said end portion and there supported with a minimum of inward pressure.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the insertion of shoe end portions between the electrode portions for dielectric treatment.

In view of the aforementioned objects and in accordance with a feature of the invention, a pair of electrode elements are supported upon carrier arms for transference thereby into and out of operative position bracketing the sides of the toe portion of a lasted shoe, and connections are provided between the arms and a cover which connections are operative by movement of the cover during a limited part of its closing movement resiliently to urge the electrode elements inwardly against the sides of the shoe to position them in operative position, said connections being operative upon further closing movement of the cover to relax the pressure and permit said elements to lie freely in operative position. In accordance with another feature of the invention, said connections are operative by said cover upon opening movement thereof to move said elements out of operative position without again pressing them against the sides of the heated shoe.

Other objects, features and advantages of the illustrative apparatus will be discernible from the following description of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the cover open;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a cam shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, of apparatus shown in Fig. 1 but with some of the uppermost parts omitted;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section on line IVIV of Fig. 5, of an electrode assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 illustrating an electrode-element-positioning mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation partly in section of the positioning mechanism shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line VIVI of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the preferred embodiment comprises a lower section or cabinet (not shown), containing a power supply and an upper section or chassis 12 on and within which are mounted the components of a high-frequency oscillator and on which are mounted toeactivating electrodes E and a shoe-supporting mechanism P. A tiltable cover 14 having a handle (not shown) is mounted on the chassis 12 by a shaft 18 journaled in brackets 20 secured to the chassis. The cover is normally held open by springs 22, but may be moved down by the handle to a position completely enclosing the top of the chassis, in which position it may be automatically locked, for the duration of the treatment, by means not shown. In the illustrative apparatus, the oscillator tubes are supported on a bracket 32 of insulating material having anode plates 33 cooperating with a bracket 34 through a layer 35 of insulating material to maintain the anodes, which are supplied with D. C. high voltage, at R. F. ground. The cathodes are connected by leads 36 to the ends of a cathode tank 37 which extends downwardly from connecting blocks 38 and rearwardly through the bracket 32, being short circuited and grounded at its further end (not shown). Heater current is supplied to the tubes by filament leads 39. The tube grids are connected to a grid tank 40 which is supported in part by the bracket 32 and which comprises a variable condenser 42 for adjusting the resonant frequency of a grid circuit.

The electrodes E comprise a pair of electrode elements 44 which are adapted to lie in operative position adjacent to the side of a shoe S. The electrode elements 44 are carried by a pair of arms 46 pivoted on screws 48 in a metal support block 50 which is connected to one end of the tank 37 by a connector 51. The electrode elements 44 are connected to the arms 46 by hinges 52 which permit the elements to rotate about the arms within a limited range of movement. Spacer members 54 are attached to the electrode elements 44 and are provided with inwardly and upwardly extending portions 56 (Fig. 6) which are designed to ride up over the inturned margin of the upper of a lasted shoe held in inverted position as the electrode elements are transferred into operative position and thereby to rotate the electrode elements to aline them properly with the side of the shoe.

A cooperative electrode element 58 (Figs. 3 and 5) designed to lie adjacent to the mid portion of the toe of an inverted lasted shoe is provided with spacer members 60, 61 and is carried by an arm 62 pivoted upon a screw 64 in a support block 66 so as to be transferable by said arm into and out of operative position adjacent to the upper surface of a shoe toe. In the metal support block 66, which is connected to the other end of the tank 37 by a connector 67, a spring 68 is housed in a vertical cylindrical passageway '76 and connected between a pin 72 through said block 66 and the arm 62 to provide a spring bias tending to move said arm to transfer the cooperative electrode element 58 into operative position. Extending upwardly at the mid line of the chassis 12 and secured thereto is a column 74 of low loss insulating material having rearwardly extending portions 76 and 78 respectively supporting the support blocks and 66. At the upper end of the column 74, as seen conveniently in Fig. l, is a relatively large forwardly extending head portion 80 having a clearance slot 81 for the spacers 54 and having a lower surface adapted to engage the bottom of an inverted shoe and to accept within a recess 82 thereof the overlaid margin of the shoe upper at the toe end while the rear end of the recess serves as a stop gage with respect to movement of the shoe rearwardly of the chassis (see Fig. 5).

Connections are provided between the cover 14 and the arms 46, 62 whereby movement of the cover between opened and closed positions is elfective to transfer all of the electrode elements into operative position and by means of which all inward pressure of the elements 44 is released after the closing movement of the cover has proceeded beyond a predetermined limit. For this purpose, a cam 84 is fastened to the cover shaft 18 at its center for rotation therewith and a cam follower 86 is linked to an arm-operating mechanism in the blocks 50, 66. In the upper block 50 this mechanism comprises a bell crank lever 88 pivoted on a pin 90 in the block 50. One arm 92 of the bell crank lever 88 is arranged to engage tail portions 94 of the arms 46 when the lever 88 is rocked counterclockwise (as viewed in Fig. 5) and thereby to move the arms 46 to spread the electrode elements 44 out of operative position. Also connected to the lever 88 by means of a link 96 is a lever 98 having lugs 100 arranged to bear against corresponding ends of two springs 102 housed in a channel 104 in the block 50. The other end of each of the springs 102 abuts a steel ball 106 which in turn bears against the forward side of a portion 94 so that when the bell crank lever 88 is rocked clockwise, the lever 98 is rotated rearwardly by the link 96 compressing the springs 102, resiliently to urge said electrode elements toward one another.

In the support block 66 there is a mechanism (Fig. 5) operating in a somewhat similar fashion. This comprises a bell crank lever 108 pivotally supported upon a screw 110 and having an arm 112 thereof arranged to coop erate with a tail portion 114 of the arm 62 so that when the lever 108 is rocked counterclockwise, the arm 62 is rotated to transfer the cooperative electrode 58 out of operative position. When the lever 108 is rotated clockwise it will be seen that the arm 62 is released for movement by the spring 68 to transfer the electrode 58 into operative position.

The bell crank levers 88 and 108 are connected by means of links 116 and 118 of insulating material to the cam follower 86 (Fig. l). The latter is supported at one end of an arm 120 whose other end is pivoted upon a bracket 122 secured to the chassis 12. A spring 124 having one end attached to the chassis 12 has its other end secured to the arm 120 near the follower 86 and holds the cam follower against the cam. The link 116 is provided with a screw 126 (Fig. 5) by which the length of the link may be adjusted and by which the relative positions of the mechanisms in the blocks 50 and 66 may be varied.

The cam 84, as seen in Fig. 2, comprises a main body portion 128 providing a camming surface 130 and an auxiliary body member 132 which is pivotally secured to the member 128 by a stud 134 whereon it is normally rotated by a spring 136 into a position wherein the member 132 engages a pin 138 retained in a hole 140 in the member 128 as seen in Fig. 1. Looking at Fig. 1, it will be seen that as the shaft 18 is rotated clockwise by the cover, the cam 84 will rotate therewith and the flanged follower 86 will move along a camming surface provided first by the surface 130 of the member 128 and then by an upper surface 142 of the member 132 until the point 144 of the member 132 has passed the cam follower 86. During this portion of the rotation of the cam, corresponding to a predetermined limited closing movement of the cover, a rather steep cam rise is provided so that the links 116, 118 are pressed upwardly to move the electrode elements into operative position, during which the springs 102 are under considerable compression and the arm 92 (Fig. 5) moves away from the portions 94.

As the point 144 passes the cam follower during continued closing movement of the cover, the follower bears against a rear surface of the member 132 which, being free to rotate in the forward direction, snaps forwardly about the screw 134 so that the follower 86 descends upon the surface 130, rotating the bell crank lever 88 counterclockwise. At this time therefore, the pressure built up in the springs 102 is relieved, while the arm 92 returns substantially into engagement with the arm portions 94 in the block 50. Meanwhile, in the lower block 66, the lever 108 is returned to a position in which the portion 112 nearly, but not quite, engages the portion 114 of the arm 62. This relieves the pressure holding the electrodes against the shoe and permits them to lie freely in operative position.

When the cover 14 is again moved into its open position, the follower 86 tracks the surface 130, pushing the cam member 132 out of the way, and at the point shown in Fig. 1, the bell crank levers 88 and 108 have been rotated counterclockwise to move the electrode elements 44, 58 out of operative position to provide ready access for loading and unloading a shoe.

The shoe supporting mechanism P comprises a jack post and a last cone support 152 supported on a carriage 154 having wheels 156 running forwardly and rearwardly of the chassis 12 in tracks 158 secured thereto. The jack post 150 and the last support 152 are attached to a metal plate 160 pivoted at its rear end to an arm 162 pivoted in turn to a bracket 164 secured to the carriage. The arm 162 has a lower portion 165 connected to the carriage 154 by a spring 166 whose ends are fastened to screws 168, 170 respectively in the carriage 154 and the portion 165 so that its tension normally holds the arm 162 and the shoe supporting mechanism P in the position shown in Fig. 1.

In operation, a shoe is mounted on the jack post 150 with the last cone in the support 152 and the carriage 154 is moved rearwardly in the track 158 until the underside of the toe engages the head portion 80 of the support column 74. The shoe bottom is engaged with the lower surface of the portion 80, being moved rearwardly until the tip of the toe lies in the recess 82 and the shoe is in the position shown in Fig. 5. The cover 14 is then closed bringing the electrode elements 44, 58 into operative position under spring pressure and releasing the inward pressure of the elements 44 during the last portion of the closing movement. The oscillator is then operated for the required time and the cover 14 reopened, the operating connections separating the electrode elements from the shoe to facilitate its withdrawal and replacement by another shoe.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: a

1. In high-frequency dielectric heating apparatus, in

combination, an electrode assembly including a pair of electrode elements adapted to bracket opposite surfaces of a work piece, carriers for supporting each of said electrode elements for movement toward and away from the other, a cover adapted to provide an enclosure for said assembly and movable between opened and closed positions, and connections between said cover and said carriers, said connections being operable by closing movement of said cover resiliently to urge said electrode elements toward one another during a limited portion only of the closing movement of said cover and then, upon further closure thereof, to release said elements from such resilient urging.

2. In apparatusfor dielectrically heating a portion of a work piece, a pair of electrode elements, carriers supporting said elements or movement into and out of an operative position on opposite sides of a work piece, a cover adapted to enclose said electrode elements and movable between opened and closed positions, and connections between said cover and said carriers for moving said elements into and out of operative position, said connections including a cam connected to said cover to move therewith and a cam follower connected to said carriers resiliently to urge them in a direction to carry the said elements into operative position when the cam follower is displaced by said cam, and to move said carriers to carry the elements out of operative position when the cam follower is returned, said cam presenting to said follower a first cam surface when the cam is moved in one sense as the cover is opened and presenting to said follower a second different cam surface when the cam is moved in the opposite sense as the cover is closed, said second cam surface having a relatively high cam rise peak which the follower passes during closing of the cover to press the elements strongly but resiliently against a work piece and into operati re position and then, as it passes the peak, to relax said pressure, said follower following said first cam surface during opening of the cover to move the electrode elements out of operative position without again pressing them against the heated work piece.

3. In apparatus for dielectrically heating a work piece, means for supporting a work piece in an operating zone, a pair of electrode elements, carriers supporting said electrodes and movable to transfer said elements into and out of operative position in which they lie adjacent to a work piece in said operating zone, a cover adapted to enclose said electrode elements and movable between opening and closing position, connections between said carriers and said cover including a cam operative by said cover during movement thereof into closed position to press said elements resiliently against said work piece during a limited portion of said movement and to relax said pressure upon further closing movement, and operative by said cover during opening movement thereof to move said electrode elements out of operative position without again pressing said elements against the work piece.

4. In high-frequency dielectric heating apparatus, in combination, an electrode assembly including a pair of cooperative electrode elements, a carrier supporting one of said elements and movable to transfer said one element toward and away from a predetermined work location, a cover adapted to provide an enclosure for said assembly and movable between opened and closed positions, and connections between said cover and said carrier, said conections being operable by closing movement of said cover resiliently to urge said one electrode element toward said predetermined work location during a limited portion only of the closing movement of said cover and then, upon further closure thereof, to release said electrode element from such resilient urging.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,615 Hart Nov. 26, 1940 2,379,059 Ashley et al June 26, 1945 2,442,451 Albin June 1, 1948 2,498,632 Anderson et al. Feb. 28, 1950 2,528,491 Bradley et a1 Nov. 7, 1950 2,528,492 Bradley et al w NOV. 7, 1950 

